Solar distilling apparatus



Dec. 27, 1938. c. G. ABBOT SOLAR DISTILLING APPARATUS Filed March 15,1937 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC I SOLARQms'rrnunc APPARATUS, Charles Greeley abbot, Washington, no. applicationMarch 115, 1931, SerlalNo. 131,050 a V 5 Claims." minor -18o)- Myinvention is designed primarily to distill water for drinking or storagebattery purposes; in regions where muchfsunlight is available, and wateris apt to be charged with undesirable chemicals. The-device may,however, be used to distill other liquids.

My device is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereincorresponding parts are designated by corresponding numerals.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the device, partly diagrammatic.

Figure 2 shows an elevation looking from -the left of Figure 1, alsopartly diagrammatic.

Figure 3 shows, looking from the left of Figure l, a cross-section ofportions of the ray-absorptive tube and its transparentvacuum-containing sheath, on an enlarged scale as-compared to Figures 1and 2.

Figure 4 shows diagrammatically the driving mechanism of theray-collector.

To fix ideas, liquid to be distilled is introduced into container I9,and into its inclined snout which encloses the condenser tube I8. Thusthe liquid to be distilled is slightly preheated atthe same time that itcauses the vapor in tube I8 to condense. The slightly preheated liquidflows through tube l1 into the heating tube I3, in which the liquid isheated and vaporized by heat transmitted thereto by radiant energy fromthe sun concentrated by the mirror 8. The flow of the liquid throughtubes I1 and I3 is automatically at such a rate as to replace liquidevaporated in tube I3 from the liquid surface at the level of the liquidin container I9.

The vapor of the liquid passes through" tube I8, and is condensed by thecontact of the surrounding liquid contained in the inclined snoutattached to container I9. The condensate falls into the receiving vessel2|. A vacuum between the walls of tube I4 serves to hinder loss of heatfrom tube I3 by convection.

With this general explanation in mind I proceed to particulars.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 4: Roller bearings 3, 4, 5, are afiixedto supports I, 2. On these rest hollow trunnions,!i, I, affixed to aconcave parabolic cylindric mirror, 8. The trunnions, 6, I, and theroller bearings 3, 4, 5, are so placed that the focal line of themirror, 8, lies centrally within the trunnions 8, .1, and the mirror, 8,is

free to rotate about its focal line, as about an axis parallel to theaxis of the earth. A .wheel, 9, with two grooves in its periphery, isaflixed to the lower trunnion, 6, with some freedom of angularadjustment by means of tangent screws -for distillation. .directly intothe tube I8, but into a box, 22, so

'Ihesebear on a projecting mg, 20,-

clamped upon the trunnion, I. A train ofclockwork, indicateddiagrammatically in- Figure '4',

restrains the rotation which the weight, I2, tends to impart, so thatthe mirror rotates along .with the apparent daily angular motion-of thesun in the heavens at15 per hour. After a days run,

' the barrel of the clockwork may be rewound, thus setting the mirrorback to its morning position. I am accustomed to make the mirror ofaluminum products, employing a sheet of a highly refiecting commercialproduct. Said sheet may be fastened down with metallic straps to acradle of parabolic cylindric curvature, said cradle being made up ofduralumin. But I do not restrict myself to mirrors of this construction.

I prefer to use in the focus of the mirror, 8, a metal tube, I3,preferably of copper, blackened with lampblack or some otherray-absorptivecoating. The tube I3 is surrounded all through the mirror,8, by a transparent plurally-walled tube, M, containing a high vacuumbetween its walls. Easily separable joints, I5,.I6, connect theblackened tube, I3, to extension tubes I1, I8, leading, respectively,into and through the container, IS. The tube, I'l, may well be ofrubber. The object of the joints I5, I6 is to enable the tube, I3, to beremoved so as to clean out the deposit which is apt to collect withinvessels used The tube, I3, does not deliver that spray of liquidundistilled may not enter the tube I8.

I prefer to make the container, I9, with an enlargement at the top, andcapable of holding several gallons of liquid to be distilled and with along tube-like continuation parallel to the tube,- I3, lying underneaththe mirror, 8. Within this long continuation of the container, I9, theextension tube, I8, may be cooled sufliciently by the surrounding liquidto condense the vapor formed in the tube l3, and the condensate fallinto the receptacle, 2 I At the lower end of the container I9, it joinsthe extension tube, I'I, so that liquid is supplied to the tube, I3, bygravity, just as fast as liquid leaves the tube, I3, by evaporation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a solar distilling apparatus, a vaporizer for a liquid to bedistilled which includes a rayconcentrator for concentrating solarraysupon a linear focus and a ray-absorber-tube lying in said focus toreceive concentrated solar rays from said ray-concentrator, saidray-concentrator and ray-absorber-tube being so mounted as to disposeaxis, and means for rotating said concentrator about said linear focusas an axis, means for sup- .plying liquid to said vaporizer including acontainer for the liquid'and means of communication between, saidcontainer and the lower end of said ray-absorber-tube, a condensingmeans in heat interchangingrelation with liquid in 1 said supplyingmeans for condensing vapor from 10 i said ray absorber-tube, means ofcommunication between the upper end of said ray-absorber-tube' 2,141,880I their axes approximately parallel to the earths tween the-outlet ofsaid ray-absorber-tubeand .the inlet to said condensing means wherebyliquid is prevented from being driven over from said ray-absorber-tubeinto said condensing v means, whereby only vapor formed in saidrayabsorber-tube may rise into said condensing means to be condensedtherein, said supplying and said condensing means and extending abovethe level of the liquid in said container and said ray-absorber-tubewhereby only vapor formed in said ray-absorber-tube may rise into saidcondensing means to be condensed therein, said supplying and condensingmeans including a portion extending adjacent to and in compact relationwith said ray-concentrator, and a receptacle for condensate incommunication with concentrator, said ray-concentrator and'rayabsorber-tube being so mounted'as to dispose their axesapproximately parallel to the earths axis, and means for rotating saidmirror about said linear focus as an axis, a container for liquid to bedistilled having a downwardly projecting extension communicating withthe lower end of said ray-absorber-tube, a tube in heat interchangingrelation with the liquid in said container and extension for condensingvapor from said ray-absorber-tube, means of communication between theupper end of said ray-absorber-tube and said condenser tube andextending above the level of the liquid in said container and saidrayabsorber-tube whereby only vapor formed in said ray-absorber-tube mayrise into said condenser tube to be condensed therein, said containerextension and its condenser tube extending adjacent to and in compactrelation. with said ray-concentrator, and a receptacle for condensate incommunication with the outletoi' said. condenser tube.

3. In a solar distilling apparatus, a vaporizer for a liquid to bedistilled which includes a rayconcentrator for concentrating solar raysupon a linear focus and a ray-absorber-tube lying in said focus toreceive concentrated solar rays from said ray-concentrator, saidray-concentrator and ray-absorber-tube being so mounted as to disposetheir axes approximately parallel to the earths axis, and means forrotating said concentrator about said linear focus as an axis, means forsupplying liquid to said vaporizer including a container for the liquidand means of communication between said container and the lowerend ofsaid ray-absorber-tube, condensing means in heat interchanging relationwith liquid in said supplying means for condensing vapor from saidray-absorbed-tube, means of communication between the upper end of saidrayabsorber-tube and said condensing means and vextending above thelevel of the liquid in said container and said ray-absorber-tube, meansbesaid condenser tube.

and condensing means including a portion extending adjacent to and incompact relation with said ray-concentrator, compact unit, and areceptacle for condensate in communication with the outlet of saidcondenser tube.

' 4. In a solar distilling apparatus, a vaporizer for a liquid to bedistilled which includes a rayconcentrator for concentrating solar 'waysupon a linear focus and a ray-absorber-tube lying in said focus toreceive concentrated solar rays from said ray-concentrator, atransparent, vacuum.- containing heat-insulating tube surrounding saidray-absorber-tube, said ray-concentrator and ray-absorber-tube being somounted as to dispose their axes approximately parallel to the earthsaxis, and 'means for rotating said concentrator about said linear focusas an axis, means for supplying liquid to said vaporizer including acontainer for the liquid and means of communication between saidcontainer and the lower end of said ray-absorber tube, condensing meansin heat interchanging relation with liquid in said supplying means forcondensing vapor from said ray-absorber-tube, means of communicationbetween the upper end 01' said ray-absorber-tube and said condensingmeans and extending above the level of the liquid in said container andsaid ray-absorber-tube whereby only vapor formed in saidray-absorbertube may rise into said condensing means to be condensedtherein, said supplying and condensing means including a portionextending adjacent to and in compact relation with said rayconcentrator,compact unit, and a receptacle for condensate in communication with theoutlet of tube to receive solar rays, means for supplying liquid to saidvaporizer including a container for the liquid and means ofcommunication between said container and the lower end of saidrayabsorber-tube, condensing means in heat interchanging relation withliquid in said supplying means for condensing vapor from saidray-absorber-tube, means of communication between the upper end of saidray-absorber-tube and said condensing means and extending above thelevel of the liquid in said container and said ray-absorber-tube wherebyonly vapor formed in said ray-absorber-tube may rise into saidcondensing means to be condensed therein, said supplying and condensingmeans including a portion ex- .tending adjacent to and in compactrelation with said rap-concentrator, and a receptacle for condensate incommunication with the outlet of said condenser tube.

CHARLES GREELEYJ" ABBOT.

